The conductor who won for Titanic
Justin John Moniz is the only person to have won The American Prize in both vocal performance and conducting.
Justin John Moniz, an associate professor of music and associate director of vocal performance at Steinhardt, has been named the 2026 national winner of The American Prize in Conducting for musical theatre. The recognition is for his work on the school’s production of Maury Yeston and Peter Stone’s Titanic, judged from recordings against entries from Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music and Oklahoma City University.
He has won The American Prize in Vocal Performance three times before, which makes him the only person in the competition’s history to win both divisions. In his statement he credited the cast, orchestra and production staff, calling the score one that demanded extraordinary musicianship, collaboration and trust.
Moniz also teaches across musical theatre, classical and contemporary commercial styles, received Steinhardt’s Teaching Excellence Award in 2025 and was named the Ellen Faull Master Teacher by the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
- Justin John MonizAssociate professor of music, NYU Steinhardt; 2026 American Prize winner
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